Mumbai: The BMC is preparing to open the southbound connector of the Mumbai Coastal Road, linking the Bandra Worli Sea Link (BWSL) to Marine Drive next week. Currently, the civic body is focusing on the final touches, including signage, painting, and lighting.
The official inauguration of this section of the ambitious coastal road will be carried out by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Republic Day, January 26. Meanwhile, work on two interchanges in Worli and one in Haji Ali is still underway, with completion expected by next month.
The southbound carriageway of the connector, from Marine Drive to the Sea Link, was opened to traffic on September 13. Previously, travelers from South Mumbai had to go towards the north via the Bandra Worli Sea Link (BWSL), then land at Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan Marg in Worli before continuing to the coastal road. With the completion of the southbound arm of the coastal road connector, travelers can now directly move from the sea link to Marine Drive, facilitating a seamless journey from north to south.
“The work on the coastal road is in its final stages, with painting, lighting, and signage work currently underway as part of the ancillary tasks. The Chief Minister will inaugurate the road on January 26, but it will be opened for traffic the following day, Monday. The remaining work on the Haji Ali stretch (Worli to Lotus Jetty) and two arms in Worli — from Prabhadevi to Bandra and from Prabhadevi to Marine Drive — is expected to be completed in February,” said a senior civic official.
Meanwhile, the 7.5-km continuous promenade, stretching from Priyadarshini Park at Breach Candy to the Worli end of the sea link, is expected to be ready by May, according to the official. The work on an Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) is in the final stage of completion behind Tata Garden in Breach Candy.
This centre will serve as the central control hub for the entire coastal road project. As a key component of the Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS), the ICCC will utilise information and communication technologies to efficiently manage and monitor traffic flow along the coastal road.
The 10.58-km coastal road stretches from the Princess Street Flyover at Marine Drive to the Worli end of the BWSL. The project features multi-level interchanges at key locations, including Haji Ali, Peddar Road (Amarsons Garden), and Worli Sea Face.
While the Peddar Road interchange will have four entry-exit arms, the Haji Ali interchange will have eight, and the Worli interchange will have six. The Coastal Road project commenced in October 2018 with a total cost of Rs 13,983 crore. The road has reduced travel time by 70% and fuel consumption by 34%, claims BMC.
